Japan weighing heavily on hearts and minds all over the world
I’m taking a break from life tips this week to focus on what’s going on in Japan. I’m only going to post this one feature about Japan today because it would feel wrong to post a few of the other things I was planning on. It’s been hard to think about anything other than Japan since Friday morning. More than half of the news I’ve looked at is about Japan, not to mention other sites I’ve looked at. With the first reports, it didn’t seem nearly as huge as it has become, but every news update adds to the devastation and number of deaths. I can’t even begin to imagine how the country and its people are feeling. Just one home is hard enough to rebuild. If the earthquakes and tsunami weren’t enough, the country now has to deal with radiation from the nuclear plants that have exploded and more possible meltdowns that continue to threaten the people.
Ways to help Japan have shown up all over the net. Over at the Save Japan Dolphins blog, Ric O’Barry has posted a link to Charity Navigator, a website that features a variety of organizations that you may donate to and their description so that you can choose an organization that suits you best. Causes has set a donation goal. The first thing I saw in the news to help Japan was a people finder Google launched where you can either list information you know about those in Japan or look for someone. GOOD wrote about a poster you can purchase to help. There’s also a beautiful collection of different posters and the organizations behind them. You can now donate through iTunes. AT&T customers in the US can call or text Japan till the end of March for free. New York Times and Huffington Post both have a list of ways to help as well.
If there are any other links you’d like to add that I haven’t mentioned yet, please leave them in the comments and feel free to make them bold so that others can see them by adding “< strong > < / strong >” around the link (minus the spaces). If you can’t donate then please join me in sending good vibes towards Japan. I don’t know for sure if such a thing works, but thinking positively doesn’t hurt.
14 March 2011 / People
Tags: donate, earthquake, japan, take action, tsunami
Comments
14 March 2011 - 9:08 pm
A great post, Eva, thank you for doing it. This disaster is so overwhelming just to get my head around, I can’t begin to comprehend what it must be like for the people having to live it. The feeling of helplessness that accompanies watching this unfold, on such a huge and deep scale, certainly doesn’t make things better. So doing something, even something small, can sure help both the victims and those of us who can only stand by and witness the anguish and devastation.
I have a few more options to add to your helpful list…
Food for Life Global is a charity we like to support, and one of the ones we donated to after the Haiti quake. We’re donating to their Japan Emergency Relief Fund as well.
I’m keeping an eye on IFAW too, as they prepare to join the relief efforts as soon as possible.
And finally, I don’t know if sending positive and healing vibes helps either, but I file it under the “won’t hurt, might help” category. So here’s a Blessing Meditation for Japan video a friend sent me yesterday, should anyone want to offer their energy in this way, too.
15 March 2011 - 2:08 am
The first I heard about something with Japan was on the radio. I had no idea what they were talking about. Then I saw the images on TV….It is awful. I mean, who knows how long it will take to rebuild and fix everything?! It is so sad. I’m lucky that it didn’t happen here, but I am so sad for those people that are suffering. I wish I could donate…I need to find a cause to donate too. I mean, even a dollar can help. I just don’t know how it all happened. Just the weather I guess. Or maybe more. I need to Google it. But it’s so great that you’re taking the time to post about this! It’s really important. Probably the worse weather-wise incident I’ve seen!
15 March 2011 - 5:31 am
I’m so glad to see there are so many different ways people can help. I don’t have money to give right now, but once I find out what else I can do, I’ll definitely be helping. But first, I have to finish my final papers.
15 March 2011 - 6:54 am
oh these are awesome! here in the US they’re mostly promoting donations to the red cross. i think after haiti’s earthquake some scammers were fooling people into giving money to a fake donation place, so everyone wants to be safe this time around and only give to our main outreach center. but i love that artists have got on board with posters and how google is using its technology to help loved ones connect. it’s going to take so long to rebuild and heal, and i just can’t stop thinking about how tragic this is. i just want to go over and sit with people – hold their hands and give them hugs.
14 March 2011 - 8:46 pm
I wish I could donate something to Japan, but I can’t 🙁 Everyone at work is talking about this too. Its really sad though because they are worried about what is going on over there, however, there are the select few who keep mentioning how much the U.S. is in debt and they shouldn’t help out (money wise that is). They won’t stop talking about how its okay to send people and food over but thats it. We shouldn’t send any kind of money over. I’m sorry but who cares if the U.S. is in debt. We’re never going to get out of debt, so why not do as much as possible to help them out? Atleast the money would be going to a good cause! I’m about 99.9% positive all the links you have listed are the same ones I have looked at and keep hearing people talking about. If I find or hear anything else, I will definitely post it!!!